"Rosewater," the debut film from "The Daily Show"s Jon Stewart, is a moving and engaging portrayal of Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari's imprisonment by the Iranian government, and his struggle for freedom while being beset by particularly ridiculous lines of questioning.
Why Jon Stewart?
The connection to "The Daily Show" and Bahari's arrest is quite strong -- while covering the last round of elections, correspondent Jason Jones and his producer travelled to Tehran to film one of their trademark satirical pieces. As Jones' over-the-top interview style accused Bahari of being a spy, the segment showed the normalcy of the populace that live within what President Bush dubbed "The Axis of Evil."
Following this interview, and as the election results became controversial, Bahari was arrested and held captive in solitary confinement for months. He was accused of spying, of course, and they played the Jones sequence as proof. His writing for Newsweek was thought to be a CIA plot, and all elements of his journalism (including a short film he made about the Holocaust while a film student at Concordia University in Montreal) was used to prove him an enemy of the state. When he was released, Bahari wrote a memoir about his experience, and Stewart helped him turn it into a film, eventually deciding to direct the work himself.
Who's in it, and where was it shot?
Obviously shooting in Iran was out of the question, so Stewart and co. went to the Kingdom of Jordan to shoot in a similar environment. Bahari is played by Gael Garcia Bernal, a Mexican actor who's known for a number of high-profile and challenging biographical films, and he's surrounded by a number of performers from a wide mix of backgrounds, including Shohreh Aghdashloo, Haluk Bilginer, Arian Moayed, and Kim Bodnia.
So, is it funny?
Well, it's surreal. In fact, some of the most surreal events that actually occurred to Bahari have in some ways been toned down. One torturer in particular was obsessed with New Jersey, and would ask Bahari in intricate detail about this land of paradise on the other side of the world. That's referenced in passing, but this is the kind of insanity that Bahari was forced to endure -- incompetent, delusional men that were still tasked with eliciting information and making him suffer.
Yet this isn't some dry and sombre film either. At its best, it demonstrates visually how Bahari held onto his humanity and his sanity when in solitary confinement, finding spiritual connection to his sister and father, who were also imprisoned. The film makes manifest what otherwise were of course metaphorical connections, but does so in fairly creative ways.
This shows Jon Stewart can direct, huh?
Yeah -- I still don't think the film completely hit all the elements it was trying to, but it's certainly a film to be admired. Stewart's greatest asset is his passion for the story, which comes across in every frame, even when it sometimes seems they're being a bit precious with the material. There are moments of visual flourish, such as when Bahari walks down the street and the storefronts are replaced by video footage.
There's also really interesting integration between actual footage shot in Iran with recreated sequences. This documentary/feature hybrid is hard to pull off without seeming manipulative or gratuitous, and Stewart does an admirable job. Even Jason Jones and his producer reprise their role interviewing Bahari, with Bernal recreating the sequence that aired before the arrest.
Does it work?
Almost. It's a good film, and I think it had the ingredients to be a great one. The story is incredibly powerful, but it lacks that spark of magic that make some films positively transcendent. The film uses some surreal elements, but doesn't go quite far enough in this direction. Nor, for that matter, does it really plumb the depths of despair -- we don't need torture porn, and part of the point is to show the banality, but there are moments that I think needed a bit more of a capper, particularly for those not as familiar with the story.
So, should I see it?
Absolutely! My love of Stewart and appreciation for the facts of the story surely coloured my expectations for this film, and even trying to be even-keeled must have coloured my disappointment. This isn't to say it's a perfect film, but it's an ambitious one that tries to do something truly interesting and engaging, a film of great subtlety with fine performances that should certainly be experienced.
Stewart has talked about the problems of kidnapping journalists, that when they're released they're able to tell the stories of their captors in such exquisite detail that it makes the behaviour of the state seem even more foolish and misguided. While hundreds are still imprisoned throughout the region, with some journalists even used in barbaric executions to try and affect foreign policy, "Rosewater" remains a vital and timely tale.
"Rosewater" opens in theatres on November 14.
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